send me a postcard, drop me a line

[lazyinlove]

"You've got Stan. Check the number and dial again."

Comments

[hostage]

Yeah.

[lazyinlove]

You're back.

[Alright, he's still not completely awake. And this is genuinely surprising. He's never seen anyone come back before until yesterday.]

You went home and came back.

[hostage]

Sort of. Yeah. I guess that's one way of putting it.

[lazyinlove]

...How would you put it?

[There's the rustling sound of someone shifting in...something that sounds oddly like straw. He's listening, dude.]

[hostage]

I killed myself. Then I went home and came back.

[lazyinlove]

You...

[He can't possibly have heard that right.]

You what?

[hostage]

I guess I ODed. Some stupid shit. I don't even remember it, but that's what they said.

[lazyinlove]

Jesus Christ. Who said? That's not right. I called Saul when you wouldn't answer and he said...

Jesus. Why? What-god. I didn't know. Oh my god...

[hostage]

I saw that shit. I saw what he said on the network. That two-faced piece of shit, yeah. But Mike wouldn't lie to me and he says I ODed, is what really happened. He found me.

[lazyinlove]

He forgot to mention that to....you overdosed? Shit. Wh-where are you? I...where are my pants? Fuck. Are you okay? Fuck! I don't understand. I thought you were just throwing shade. I didn't know...

[hostage]

I'm fine. That's what I'm calling you for: to tell you I'm fine.

[lazyinlove]

Yeah well maybe I'm not. Alright? Five minutes. I...Lisbeth can spare you for like five minutes right?

[hostage]

Yeah. Sorry. Yeah.

[lazyinlove]

You're there?

[hostage]

I'm at home, yeah. Nobody's here.

[lazyinlove]

[Why is no one there? That can't be good. Damn it.]

Okay. I'lll...yeah.

[He's not a fan of this snow bullshit. It's worse than the rain was, and the rain was pretty horrible. But since this is urgent -it feels urgent anyway- he wraps himself up in Lily's light up sweater and Collete's dorky glittering hat and gloves, and the dead guy's coat and boots. There's no time for a pocket check, so he ignores it for the time being and shuffles out into the snow. Fucking winter. Fucking Jesse. Ugh.

Except that when he finally gets there -finally- he can see a problem. Only one set of tracks lead inside, and they aren't Jesse's. He hesitates, not sure what Lisbeth will do if he knocks on her door twice in the same week. Damn it.]

Uh...Jesse?

[hostage]

[He's been kind of wondering what's taking so long, but then again, it's Stan.]

Yeah?

[lazyinlove]

How long have you been back? Just...okay it's stupid, but um. Your footprints aren't out here and I know it's just the pills but in horror movie scenarios always, like, this would be the moment where the audience goes "Stan, don't go in there!" And then I die.

[Wait, there's at least two things he just said that you probably shouldn't mention to a guy that just got back from death by overdose. Shit.]

[hostage]

[There's a pause as he glances out the window just to confirm that Stan isn't there.]

...Where are you?

[lazyinlove]

...Wait, where are you? I'm here. This is where she lives. I'm positive.

[He was just freaking here a few days ago.]

[hostage]

Oh, shit. I'm not - We don't -

[He sucks in a breath and exhales in a short, mirthless laugh.]

Lisbeth dumped my ass way back. I'm living with Mike.

[lazyinlove]

[There's a soft sound, a surprised inhalation. How's he supposed to avoid saying all the wrong things if no one ever tells him anything? Crap.]

Oh. Uh...I guess I need directions.

[hostage]

Sorry. I forgot... Yeah, hold on.

[He sends over a map he drew a while ago.]

[lazyinlove]

[Now that he knows the right way, Stanley casts one last awkward, unhappy glance at Lisbeth's place and hurries away again. Man, he hates the stupid snow. And walking. And people dying. People really need to stop dying around here.

It takes less time to get from Lisbeth's to Jesse's than from the barn to Lisbeth's, so it's not too long before he's knocking on the door this time. The right door, even.]

[hostage]

[The door opens right away. Jesse's been waiting by it for a while, thinking Stan will probably be freezing by the time he gets there. The house is nice and warm, at least, especially down here by the cast iron furnace. Jesse waves Stan right in.]

Sorry for the mix-up. I couldn't remember if we told anybody or... I just thought everybody knew I was here now.